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60 WEST THIS FORTNIGHT
trip to these most ()uter of the Hebrides takes more
devotion than holidays to the relatively accessible
Mull or Islay. Arriving in Lewis. Harris. the L'ists. Benbecula and Barra means first getting to Skye. a drive through Mordor (otherwise known as the (‘uillin mountains. which. given enough mist. will have you muttering about ‘precious‘ rings in a second) and finally arriving at llig to catch the (‘aledonian MacBrayne ferry to 'farbert. llarris.
But after a dash up Scotland's artery of one-track roads. hoarding the ferry will not always mean a relaxing break. The stretch of water between the mainland and the Outer Hebrides is called the Minch and it is not to be taken lightly. ln |‘)l‘). 200 men were lost as they returned from the battlefields of lirance. llorrendous weather and a boiling sea took their ship a mere 20ft from the shore.
It is common that winds and storms whip up mid- crossing: quickly transforming what the ferry crew had D thought was a spell of good sailing weather. In 25 years of visiting. l have known scenes of vomiting carnage. and people gripping onto whiskys in the bar with white knuckles as the on-board ceilidh band plays on. But the majority were fairly peaceful crossings. sometimes with dolphins in the ship‘s wake and whales in the distance. Regardless of the journey. the captain will deadpan ladies and gentlemen. we trust you have enjoyed your trip with (‘alMac~ on arrival.
(‘oming into the tiny port of 'farbeit I am reminded of all our fatnin holidays here. In the past. we would join friends piled into one of the cottages dotted over the island with kids sleeping on sofas. getting baths in the sink and chasing sheep in the garden. These days. with the opening of the extremely sought-after Blue Reef Cottages. a new breed of holidaynuiker
-_. « _- 1:; "_ V, fin}... , i. ~ ‘ ’2 A. A. in I. . :_ -' L: i H t is journeying to Harris — very much the sort of person who would want to stay at ('roft Cottage. 3 Similarly luxurimls
abode about two minutes from Tarbett llarbour.
In the first Of our tWO-pal’t Special feature on the Western lts hilly position means extraordinary views across the Isles, Morag Bruce explains Harris is the grittiest and bay to Scalpayand views which constantly evolve as the breeze bltlslels ram m and out. lhe house has a sauna.
prett'eSt Of places on the weSt coaSt Of SCOtland- jacuzzi. wood-burning stove. open—plan living room and . . . broadband internet. We shouldn‘t have been so excited by this — after all. it is 2()()(i. But sometimes in the Outer Hebrides. it could just as easily be l‘)()o. (‘ut to a headline in a copy of the .S'tm'nmruv (iuzvm': ‘(iod 'l‘old Man to Shut astretch of water called the Minch Shop‘. The story goes that (iod himself personally visited the Hebrides to veto commerce on the Sabbath. much to the delight of the congregation who had been putting pressure Scotland gained sovereignty of the islands from Norway in 1266 on the shop owner not to open.
Staunch l’resbyterians they may be. but these are friendly
lit ()«tt 1’ Nov L’tltlii THE LIST 95
The Outer Hebrides are separated from the Inner Hebrides and the mainland by
Most people in the Hebridean islands use Gaelic as their main language